Need Money? Try Crowdfunding.

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Credit: Indiegogo.com

Need Money? Try Crowdfunding.

Credit: Indiegogo.com

Are you an aspiring artist? Do you know someone in need of money to pay for treatment of a rare medical condition? If you need cash and you’re out of options, you might try turning to strangers on the web.

Crowdfunding has become increasingly popular in recent years. If you’re unfamiliar with the concept, it’s pretty simple. You go online, ask people for money to support your project and wait.

There are a number of websites geared toward helping people with crowdfunding – including Kickstarter, RocketHub and Friday’s morning “Click Pick” – Indiegogo. Each of these platforms caters to a slightly different market. Kickstarter is really for creative projects – not businesses or causes. RocketHub also powers donation-based funding for a wide variety of creative projects.

Indiegogo approves donation-based funding for just about anything, including personal finance needs and charities. Each profile features a summary of the project as well as a measure of money raised and, often, a time frame.

If you’re looking to give money away instead of raise it, you can find a lot of local projects or people to support in your area. Just search for your interests or community and start donating!